Universal joints are often used to connect an output shaft of an engine and a driveshaft, allowing the shafts to pivot in various directions relative to each other and rotate about unaligned axes of rotation. A conventional universal joint includes a cross member having a cup bearing attached at each of the four connection points. An example of a universal joint is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,373 (“the '373 Patent”).
One issue related to universal joints is the problem of foreign material and debris entering a space between the cup bearing and the cross member. This contamination of the bearing may lead to failure of the part. A sealing gasket having sealing lips is usually positioned between the ends of the cross member and the cup of the cup bearing in order to block foreign material and debris from entering. Some universal joints, such as the joint described in the '373 Patent, include an external shield to provide additional contamination protection.
In order for the external shield to be effective, it must be properly positioned at the interface of the cup bearing and the trunnion of the cross member. Current designs for external shields, however, do not provide an adequate positioning mechanism suitable for all cup bearing designs. For example, the external shield configuration described in the '373 Patent is compatible with thick-walled machined cup bearings which allow for flexibility in the shape of the cup, such as a machined groove for receiving a portion of the external shield. However, in applications that utilize a thin-walled drawn cup bearing, manufacturing and assembly constraints do not allow for the same method of interface with the cup.
The present disclosure is directed to overcoming these and other problems of the prior art.